Portable shelters have been proposed for conveniently providing shade from the sun, for providing shelter from inclement weather, and the like. These shelters can be used as canopies for outdoor gatherings, as temporary awnings that extend from a recreational vehicle, and for other similar uses.
These shelters can include a self-supporting frame and a tarp, canvas, or other foldable roof/wall member that is coupled to and supported by the frame. The frame can be expanded to unfold, unfurl, or otherwise extend the roof/wall member such that the roof/wall member provides shelter. The frame can also be retracted to fold or otherwise retract the roof/wall member and to make the shelter more compact and portable.
The frames of these shelters can be very easy moved between the expanded and retracted positions. Also, these shelters can be made of relatively lightweight materials to enhance portability and to further enable movement of the frame between the expanded and retracted positions.
Although conventional portable shelters have been adequate for the intended purposes, they do suffer from certain disadvantages. For instance, the shelter may not be sufficiently supported on the ground. More specifically, if the ground surface is uneven, the frame may not contact the ground evenly, and the shelter may not remain stationary as a result. Furthermore, if the shelter is subjected to strong gusts of wind, the shelter may blow over because it is not adequately secured to the ground.